Watch



F, R. COATS AND JF. HAR'TWELL.

\ WATCH.

Y :I APPLICATION FiLED IUNE 4.1919. 1,383,161. y Patented Mar. 9,1920.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET l. l

6 r ma mi" n' u L m L A* www Nil 'l l 103 04 30 Iwwenrs.

paal 2, Coas avmZ 'Jean Fffafwfll.

F. II. coAIs AND I. F.' HARTWELL.

WATCH.` APPLICATION FILED IuIIE 4, v1919.

Patented Mar. '9, 1920.

2'` SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Illllllllil FRED n. coATs AND JEAN?. i-IARTWnIiL, onsrnmerrntn,.Timmers i WATCH.i

Specification-o' Letters Patent.

Patenten Mar. e,v 1920.

.appiicanoa ala rane ,4. 19'1a serial No. 301,650.

'o a# "uf/ama t may concern Bc it F lit.

ze s Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State or Illinois, are joint inventors of the Improvement in' .lWatches, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to watches, and is primarily designed for watches fromfO to l0/O sizes inclusive, American standard, or for small watches known in the art as ten and a halli line watches, or the like. In general practice the barrel of large size or standard watches is proportional to, or has a direct ratio to the diameter of the watch, but in small size watchesvarying in size from seven lines to fourteen lines, as hitherto constructed, vthe restricted available @oars andfllnN F. HARTWELL, citispace does not admit of the use of a barrel in the standard ratio to the diameter of the watch.

Prime purposes o1 the inventionare to provide watch mechanism constructed Aand arranged to permit the use in a. small size watch of a. relatively larger barrel for the main spring than has hitherto been used; thus closely approximating insmall watches, the barrel of standard proportions, hitherto used in larger or standard size watches and thereby greatly increasing the scope andeticctiveness oi" the spring of the small 'size watch; to provide a watch movement embodying in conjunction with an enlarged barrel, a horizontal or cylinder escapement, as distinguished from a lever escapement; thus dispensing' with the center wheel and pinion, andthe pallet arbor and `appurtenances.

Secondary purposes of the invention are: to provide a regulator of improved construction; to provide a dial plate oit' improved construction easily and quickly attachable to or removable from the top plate without detaching thehands, and to provide in conjunction with the dial plate, an hourhand, a minute hand, and a second handremovable with the dial plate without the necessity for detaching the hands from the second hand pinion, the cannon pinion and the hour wheel; to provide means for laccurate adjustment of the cylinder staff; and to pro-l vide other improved details .of construction as will hereinafter appear.

rlhe invention is illustrated in the 'annexed drawings, to which reference is hereby made, and will now be fully describedv and known that we, the undersigned,

of the United States, residing at the novel featuresthereof will Vbe.recitedinV the claims. y v

Figurelis a top lplan of avv'atch embodying theinvention;;

' Fig 2 is an enlarged inyerfteds'eetional view taken on the lineX, o"Fig'.,-l,

showing details of the dial plate, and conl neet-ed parts;

Fig. S is an enlarged'invertedifragmentary sectional view through the pillarplate,

dial plate, andadjacentl'parts, taken on the lineYfofFigl;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged viewshowing details oit the regulator; i

Fig. is an enlarged fragmentary plan showing means for adjusting the position of the Vcylinder relative to the escape wheel;

Fig. G is an enlarged inverted fragmentary sectional view showing ldetailsoi' 'the balance cock and appurtenancesY;`

Fig. is a diagram showing the relatively increased diameter or" barrel gained byk omitting the center wheel and the kcenter pinion hitherto used in watches havingfcylinderescapements; also showing'the increased diameter of balance wheel,-andv the relative simplicity of construction gained'bygomitting the lever escapement, comprising numerous parts hitherto used in small watches, varying in` size from seven lines to fourteen lines;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic top-plate-view, showing the old dial train, in which the barrel-gear actuates the center pinion, and the cannon pinion, stakedon the center-pinionstai'l, drives the minutewheel; in comparison with the Vimproved train, in which the barrel carries a compoundv gearwhich drives the cannon pinion and also drives the hour wheel. ln this view the arrangement of-old parts `is indicated. by broken and dotted lines; and the arrangement of new 'parte is indicated by lull lines. V

Fig. 9 is a diagram, partly in section,

showing the connection. of the compoundV gear withthe barrel.

Fig. l0 is a dia-gram, on a .reduced scale,

showing a plan of the flat blank from which the dial plate is formed.

Fig. 11 is a diagram of an old train, illusl trating the absorption of power between the and some parte usedin prior inechanisme (marked improved mechanism are briefly enumerated inthe following notation: Notation.

1. Pillar plate. 1a. Top plate. Ratchet wheel.v

. Ratchet wheel washer. Ratchet wheel screw.

finding wheel. l/Vinding wheel washer'. lfinding wheel screw. Balance cock.- Scapa wheel bridge.

yBalance wheel. Hair spring stud on the balance cock.

Regulator as a whole. Hair Vspring. Escape wheel. rl`hird wheel. d Arm on the regulator.

Regulator pins. V2nd .wheelV pinion. 3rd wheel pinion. Escape-wheel pinion. Cylinder staiif; Barrel arbor.

Ratchet-wheel click. Dial plate. Cannon pinion post. Cannon pinion. Hour wheel. Minute wheel Minute pinion Barrel, proper. 37. 2nd wheel (Fig. 2), new. 38. Hour hand 39. Minute hand.

`l0.`Springy connecting devices holding the dial plate on the pillarv plate.

4.1. Regulator yoke. 42. Slot in the `regulater yoke. 13. Clamping Vscrew for V`the yoke..

}conip`ound wheel. Y

regulator Regulating screw. Screw threads of the screw afl. Circular hess of the balance cock 8. Teeth of regulator. Pointer on the regulator. Graduatione onV the balance cock.

50. Slit in regulator 13.

60. Trench in the pillar' plate, accommodating the adjusting arm 61.

61. Adjusting arm.

62. Boss ci the adjusting arm 61.

63. Binding screw of balance cool; 8.v

64. Dowel pins.

66. Slot'inthe adjusting' arm 61. 67. Binding screw, in the slot 66.

68.V Screw for adjiieting the arm 61.

69. Jewel in the arm 61.

70. Jewel in the balance cock 8. 71. Regulator ring. v

`line with the cJ-flindcr VVing the binding Sci Y 166. Center wheel (old) times called the second wh 72. Opening through the pillar plate, in

73. Circularcpening .n the pillar plate accoinniodating,- the bess of the adjueting arm 61. Y

74. 4Holes in the balance ceck 8 accommodatingV the dowel pins 611 on the boss 62.

j 75, Hole inV thebalance cool; acccininedat 63 ccniiecting the balance 'cock with thebess 76. Trench in the pillar plate, accoimnodating-'the hour wheel the minute pi,y cn and the cannon V 35, the minut-e wheel 3-1.

pinion 32.

77. Elongated huh ci" the hour wheel 33.

7 8. Central opening 'in the dial plate accommodating the hub 7'?.

7J: Elongated hub ofthe cannon pinion.

80. Circuii'i'ferential rim oit the pillar plate.V

81. llotclies in theriin of the pillar plate. 82. Lines indicating the bend olf the snaps. Y

83. Neelie ci the'snaps.

'84.' Recess in the pillar plate ing the adjustine' screw 68 (F 5).

Circle representing the old pillar' plate @se U. i

oo. Center pinion (old). 87. The barrel-gear (old). 88. The barrel-gear, new.

88a. Barrel coter. 89. Fourth wheel, old.

a ceomniodat- 90. rhird wheel, old. staked on the 3d pinion 96, old.

91. Escape wheel. old.

Balance wheel (old). 9 Balance wheel (Fig. 8).

` @ld lpallet arbor and appurtenances net used'in new consti pinion A99.

99. Second-hand pinion.

100. lcet on the bridge 98. 101. lie Secondhand."

102. Opening in the pillar plate peri iitl v 7 A ting; free of the secondhand pinion.

103. Oaeniiig through the dial plate acceiiin'icrlating the stein ci the acconti-hand. pinion.

10%. Stein the secondhand pinion.

105. of the center wheel 106 and center pinion 86 old.

tron" aio?. roe. ice. no.

nCll Old Y @ld minute wheel.

hour wheel. 112.1'ii`hirdewheel pinion, old. 113.'v Third wlieelg old. 114C. Fourtlrwheel pinion7 old.

llo?

tions the time is taken troni the center Wheel which is not used in our iinproved construction, and the train inust be indexed to make the hour. Wheel revolve in one hour, and the fourth `ufheel revolve in one minute. In our improved Watch the tirne is obtained by placing i compound-Wheel, 3er-35 (Fig. 9)7 "riction tight on the cover of the barrel, and gearing this compound Wheel in proper ratio to revolve the hands in one hour and tvelve hours respectively. The barrel is the source of power in the Watch` To the best oi' our knowledge and belief our improved watch is the only Watch using a. cylinder escapeinent7 in which tie barrel directly carries the main time wheels which drive the cannon pinion and hour Wheel. f

The main train (new).

ln the inain train of our iinproved watch, whathas heretofore been the center Wheel is dispensed `With; the wheel formerly lrnoivn as the third Wheel becomes the second Wheel; and the i'oriner fourth Wheel becornes the third Wheel.

The operation oi our iinproved inain is as follows: v

(e). The barrel-gear S8 (Figs. i and i2) drives the 2nd pinion 20 (old 3rd) .A

(o). The '2nd Wheel 37 staked on the 2nd pinion, drives the 3rd pinion 21., old Lith (Fig. 1). Y

(c). The 3rd Wheel 1'? (old ath) staked on the 3rd pinion drivesthe escape pinion 2Q, and Wheel 16. Y Y

(CZ). The escape Wheel 16 staked on the escape pinion 22 transmits power of the main spring to the cylinder sta 23.

A (d). The ith Wheel 89 (new 17) staked on' the 41th pinion 2l drives the escape pinion 32 and Wheel 91.

(e). rlhe escape Wheel 9i (new 16) staked on the escape pinion 22 transmits the power of the niain spring' (not shown) to the cylinder steil The dial imn (new).

T he dial train (Figs. 2 and 9) of our iinproved Watch comprises the barrel-gear 88; the main compound drive wheel and pinion `\vhich includes the minut-e Wheel 3i and the minute pinion 35 and which drives the cannon pinion 32 and hour Wheel S3; as distinguished troni the old dial train which derives its power from the lcannon pinion.

in the new system the hands are driven directly 'troni the barrel, the source of power thereby obtaining,` greatly increased power. ln old constructions the cannon pinion lits 'friction-tight on the stati 105 (Fig. 8) or the center Wheel 106 and the enter pinion 86; and the cannon pinion 07 stair-ed on the saine staff drives the enti'e dial train. i f

VVlie operation ci? our improved dial train s `'rolloivs5 (c). rlho barrel-gear 8S carries the inain drive or ininute 'Wheel and the integral minute pinion The inain drive coni-l pound wheel has a friction connection with the barrel cover 88 and drives the cannon pinion 32.

(Z2). rhe inain drive pinion 35, integral vith the inain drive Wheel 35i, drives the hour .vlieel The ininnte hand 39 rotates with the cannon pinion 32; and the hour hand rotates with the hour Wheel 33.

The Ziel fre/01, (old), operation.

107 has friction of the center of The enlarged balance wheel.

it is 'found in practice that sinall ksize v-fatches as hitherto constructed are subject to roqi'ent stoppages `by slight shoclis and are uni veliable bf; reason oi? the fact that the balance, beingI disproportionately small, has feeble inertia and on that account is inet-- tective to maintain continuons operation oi the escapeinent. f

Experiment has determined that in standard Watches the diameter oi the theoretically perfect balance is to the diameter ol" the cylinder as i6 is to l; but in srnall sinx Watches this rzfftio has not hitherto been even approximately attained.

ln sinall size watches, (say 109)- lines) as hitherto constructed, the ratio ot the balance to the cylinder is as l1 to l. Whereas in our improved construction. the ratio of thev balancev to the cylinder-in the saine sito Wateh-is as i5 to i. The limited space` available in sniall size Watches, as hitherto constructed, does not adinit of the use oi the enlarged balance Wheel Which is used in our iinproved construction.

To illustrate the advantage gained by our improved construetion, let D represent the diameter otthe cylinder vused in a i-.line Watch as hitherto constructed, and alsothe diameter of the cylinder used in our im-v proved Watchbf the same size. By measurement it istound that 11 D will be the diameter or the balance hitherto used; Whereas 11 D-l-ll D215 DD, will be the di- :Ln'iei'er thevenlargod balance used in our improved construction, shot-:ing a gain of i/llths, or 86.36% in the diameter. oi'f the balance. Referring to Z it will appear that the increased diameter of the balaii-e Wheel used in our improved construction is attained byvreason of the fact that the pallet arbor 94.- and appurtenances being dispensed with and the cylinder escapement 95 substituted, the center'oit the escape-cylinder may be much nearer to the circumference ofV the escape Wheel than is possible vvith a lever escapement, and the cylinder bcing'co-axial Vwith the balance Wheel 93, the diameter or' the balance Wheel maybe increased to such extent Vthat the diameter of the barrel 88 plus the diameter ofthe balance Wheel 93 Will extend practically the entire diameter of the pillar plate 85. lt is obvious that our improvedV construction allows space for a balance Wheel of much greater diameter ythan has hitherto been used in small size The inertia of the balance Wheels-mass and other thing-s being equal-Will vary as the squares of their diameters. ln the present instance, taking 15 and 11 as the values of the respectivev diameters, We have:` 15 squared minus 11 squaredzQQ/ minus 121:

104: dili'erence ofinertia; representing a gain of 85,95% in eilicieucy by reason off the increased inertia of the balance Wheel of increaseddiameter. Y p

Here it 1s to be noted that, 1n ouram- Vproved construction, the ratio (15 to 1')- or" thev balanceV Wheel to the cylinder, is a very close approximation to the ideal ratio, 16 to 1. j

The oylz'mleistajj adjuster.

To attain accurate adjustment of the cylinder-etait relative to theescape Wheel with which it cooperates, VWe vprovide means, (Figs. 5 and' 6), which will now `be described. f Suitably located in thepillar plate 1 are; a cylinderstaff-opening 72 in line with the cylinder-stall' 23, a trench 60 in- Which the .adjustingarm G1 is oscillative,

land a circular boss-opening 73 in Which the circular boss GQot the arm is ittedso that the boss `.vill rotate accurately in the opening, rfhe balance cock 8 has holes 74:, matchingl rduivel pins 6st onthe boss anda hole 78.21.0-

commodatingf; a screw 63 which yscrews into the boss and clamps the balance cock on the boss. .The arm 61 has an arcuate slot 66. A

screw 67 extends through `the slot and screws 65 -i into the pillar plate to clamp the arm on `the plate. TheV slot 66 isv of suitable `length'fto f permit transverse moven'ient of the arm' Within the scope of the trench 60.., A jewel 69 at the yfree endV or" the arm is in line'ivith a jewel 70 near the outer. end of the balance cock, and the pivots ot the cylinder-stati? bear in the respective jewels. .en zuljustiniby screw 68 `screws into the pillar plate and its innerend engages on tlie'edge of the arm '61,

and by turning the screvv inwardly, or outj vvardly7 as the Vcase may be, very accurate adjustment of the arm may be made. Upon loosening the screw 67, the arm 61 maybe turned to the right ork to the lett to adjust the cylinder-stalll in proper relation to the escape Wheel; and when the staff isV properly adjusted, the screvv` 67 Will` be tightenedto keep the parts in their adjusted position.

Tite removable dial plate. l, v A defectcommon to Watches asconstruct- .ed prior to our invention is.. that in repairing niodating theelongated hub 77 of the hour WheelSB. Y

j' In the .pillarV plate is a trench 7 Giaccommo- Y dating` the hourvvheel 33, the minute pinion 85, the. minute Wheel' 31k, andthe cannon pinion 32. The vertical cannon pinion post 31 is stationary/on the pillar plate andthe cannon pinion is rotative on the post. -The Y 'hour Wheel 33 has an elongated'hub 77. surrounding the 'elongated hub 7 9 of the cannon pinion and extended outtvardlythrough the hole78 and beyond the outer face of the hub.

VThe minute hand 39 isv fixed onand rotates with the'hub 79, and the hour' hand 38 is fixed on and rotates with the' hub 77. The cannon pinion 32 is actuated by the minute ivheel 34, andthe hour Wheel 33 is actuated by the minute pinion 35. Upon removing the dial plate from the pillar plate, the pinion 2v2-Will be disengaged from the Wheel Bhthetvheel 33 will be disengaged from the pinion 85; and the pinion 3.2,the Wheel 33 and the hands 38 and 39 Will-go with the rh@ eine when, 9o, the third pinion 96,V l

and thefsecond-hand ear 97 are of usual construction but are used in a new relatlon'to other parts, bridge isi'stationary on `the p pillar plate l. A post 100 is stationary on the bridge. The second hand pinion 99 ro-v tative on Vthe post 100 has a stem 104 and is actuated by thegeai 97. In the pillar plate is a second-hand,pinion-opening 102 to permit free passage ot the pinion 99 through the opening. ln the dial plate is an opening` 103, in line with the opening, 10Q, and adapted to permit iree rotation ot the stein 10e. The second hand 101 is fixed on the stein 10i. Detaching ot the dial plate Tyvill cause disengagement ol the pinion 99 troni the 97 and the removal ci the pinion .trein the post 1.00; and the pinion 99 and the second hand 101 will with the dial plate.

The pillar plate l preferably has acirciini- .terential riin 80 provided with suitably placed notches 8l.

The ciiciilar dial plate (Fig. 10) is of thin springy metal and has a central open- 78 and integral L-shape snap-niembers spaced apart troni each other according to the spacing olE the notches 81 in the riin 80. In practice, the dial plate and the snap-ineinbers, each coiiiprisino,- a linger i0, and a neck 83, will be pressed from the metal sheet and l ivill be bent along the lines 82 to set the nieinbers at right angles to the plate, at one Y operation. Characters designating; the hours and minutes may be applied on the face ot the dial plate by any usual or approved method. To connect the dial plate with the pillar plate, the Vdial plate Will be placed on the pillar plate with the necks 83 in line with the respective notches 81 ofthe pillar plate and the dial plate ivill be pressed downward to cause the necks to enter the notches and cause the fingers to engage the under side ot the riin 80. To disconnect the dial plate this procedure will be reversed.

While We have shovvn and prefer to use a notched pillar plate and a dial plate having snaps adaptedy to engage in the notches or" the pillar plate, it is to he understood that our invention includes vbroadly a .pillar plate adapted to take on a dial plate and any` dia plate adapted to snap onto the pillar plate.

' The regulator.

ivhichis ot tapered cross-section. yThe boss has on its outer tace a series ot graduations 49, The regulator rinnfl has a radial arm 18 provided With regulator pins i9, between which the outside coil ot the hair'spring 15 is situated in the usual manner; it also has a radial slit 50, teeth al' occupving an arc of the ring, and a pointer 4:8. The inner circle of the ring is tapered `inversely to the tapered member ot the boss. The slit permits slight spreading ot thering' so that it may be pressed onto the boss and the parte vder co-aXial With the are fitted so Jrhat when the ring is in place, it

be rotated on trie boss.

A yoke 41, sito ated on the tace ot the balance cock, has a slot accommodating a clamping screw 4.1.3 which connects the yoke with the balance cock so that the yoke ina-y be adjusted relative to the regulator ring. .fr screw le rotative in bearings on the yoke has screw threads a5 which engage the teeth fel-7 oi tlie'ring to rotate the ring more or less, in either direction. Tinasmuch as one coniplete rota ion of the screw is necessary to rotate the ring to the extent of one tooth, the device admits of very accurate movement oi the ring, the scope ot the movement being indicated by the position or" the pointer 18 rel-V ative to the graduations 49.

l/V e have shown and described preferable details ot construction, but it is obvious that minor details may be varied and still be Within the scopeV oft our invention; We therefore do not restrict the claims tothe precise details ot construction hereinv disclosed.

lll/"hat ive claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a Watch, a pillar plate of predetermined dianieter and a barrel having` aA diameter greater than halt the diameter of the pillar plate; in combination with a bal-V ance wheel having` a diameter somewhat less than halt the diameter of the pillar plate; an escape-cylinder coaxial .with the balance Wheel and ol a diameter related lto the diameter ot the balance Wheel approximately las 1 to 15,l and an escape Wheel co-acting with the escape-cylinder.

2'. ln a watch, a pillar plate ci predetermined diameter anda barrel havingl a diameter greater than hall the diameter. ot the pillar plate; 'n combination with, a second pinion, a second vvlieel, a third pinion, a thirdwheel, an escapevvheel pinion, an cscape wheel, an escapecylinder, and av balance Wheel.

3. In a Watch o'l the class described'q the combination of apillar plate of predetermined diameter; a barrel and `a balance Wheel extending` practically the'entire diameter ofthe lpillar plate; anescape-cylinbalance Wheel and of a diameter related to the diameter ot the balance Wheel approximately as 1 yto 15; and an escape Wheel (3o-acting' with the escape cylinder. Y f

l. In a Watch ot tlie'class described, the train comprising, a barrel, afsecond pinion, a second wheel, and a third pinion; in combination with cylinder escapement.

5. In a ivatchV oiV the class described, the train coInprisinga barrel, a second pinion, a secon(` ivheel, a third pinion, a thirdwlieel and an escape pinion; in combination With der approximately as 15 to l; and an escape Wheel co-aeting with the. eseape-oylinder.

6. In Watch, the combination of a barrel and its gear, a compound gear comprising a minute Wheel and a minute pinion mounted on and havingiriotional connection with the barrel; a cannon pinion and an hour Wheel. driven by said eoi'npound gear; and a cylinder esc-apement controlling the action of the gears.

7. En a Watch, a barrel carrying the .main time gears; in combination with a cannon pinion and an hour Wheel actuated direetlT by the main time gears; and a cylinder escapeinent and balance Wheel Controlling the :lotion of the gears.

S. In a Watch, the combination of a main train; a barrel having` a barrel gear directly etuatinq; the main train; a dial train directly actuated by a compound gear on the barrel; anda Cylinder esca-)ement controlling the action of both trains. Y

9. In a Watch, the combination of a pillar plate; a topl plate; a main spring, abarrel; and a second Wheel, a Second pinion, a third wheel, a third Wheel pinion, an escape-vvheel and an escape wheel pinion, between the pillar plate and the top plate.

l1. In a Watch, a main train, admitting a. variable number 0I teeth on the Wheels and variable numbers of leaves on the pinions according to the size off the ivatchgand a time train independent of the maintrain and adapted to be suitably geared'to oo-aet With Wheels of the main train having` variable numbers of teeth, and pinions of the main train having variable numbers of leaves.

In Witness whereof We have signed our names at Springfield, Illinois, this 17th day of May, 1919. v

FRED R. COATS. Y JEAN F. HARTWELL. Witnesses:

J. S. THOMPSON, l N. DU Bols. 

